AFL clubs make approximately $400,000 decisions with it selects a player in the draft

AFL clubs are meticulous when it comes to doing homework on potential draftees. And with good reason, with every selection in the AFL Draft costing clubs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

CLUBS will make a $400,000 decision every time it selects a player in Friday night’s national draft in Sydney.

As the dreams of this year’s young guns are realised, their selection marks the final investment after a long and costly process by the 18 AFL clubs.

List managers and recruiters spend hours, days and even years watching, analysing, discussing and dedicating resources to the game’s next generation before draft night arrives and it has never been more critical for clubs to nail their selections.

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Former Hawthorn recruiter Gary Buckenara has revealed the estimated costs of the hours spent studying these youngsters equates to approximately $400,000 in club cash.

“Every name that’s called out at the draft roughly equates to a $400,000 decision,” Buckenara said.

“(The player) gets a two-year deal but don’t forget you’re paying recruiting managers, you’re paying people within the club to watch them for two, three, four years.

Essendon selected Andy McGrath with pick No.1 last year. Picture: Toby Zerna

“That’s the sort of money we’re talking about.

“If a club has three picks, that’s $1.2 million worth of decision that you’ve got to make.

“When you walk in on draft night you’re going in there with big cheques of money it’s cost you in terms of airfares, salaries, time, wages. All that sort of stuff gets taken into consideration.”

While fans are willing to overlook a player’s off-field queries, clubs are behind-the-scenes completing their due diligence before making a final decision.

Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams revealed in an exclusive column for the Herald Sun on Tuesday he asked curly questions to gauge how a player reacted under pressure and whether he would cope in a full-time professional AFL environment.

That process, to discover who the player is away from football with left-field draft interview questions, is as important as football ability.

“They’re big decisions and that’s why getting list management and recruiting right is so important,” Buckenara said. “If you bugger it up, you’re spending club money. It’s like a business buying work or stocks that go up and go down.

Top prospects Andrew Brayshaw (left) and Darcy Fogarty in Sydney ahead of the draft.

“That’s why it’s so important you get it right.

“It’s why players come under so much scrutiny away from their actual football talent because you’re nearly spending half a million dollars to recruit a player.

“Do you just purely look on talent or do you have to take in other considerations? You do.

“It makes clubs nervous to call out the name of a talented player that has question marks as to whether he will cope in such a demanding environment.”

Buckenara has first-hand experience with the process clubs take to weigh up the benefits and risks of their investmen.

In 2013 Hawthorn considered drafting talented but troubled young Swan Districts star Dayle Garlett.

After being overlooked by every club in 2012, the Hawks took a punt on Garlett with pick 38.

He failed to play a game departed the club five months later.

“He was a huge talent and had enormous upside but it ended badly for the Hawks,” Buckenara said.